The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.Īs I drew in my head, and was turning around,ĭown the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound Click image to enlarge.Īnd then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof The Night Before Christmas, undated, circa early 1900s.Ĭall Number: Children E40.
#And to all a good night image full
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too. So up to the house-top the coursers they flew, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”Īs dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall! On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donner and Blitzen! “Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen! More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,Īnd he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name: With a little old driver, so lively and quick, When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,īut a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer, Gave the lustre of midday to objects below, The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore, Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash. I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads Īnd Mamma in her kerchief, and I in my cap, The children were nestled all snug in their beds, In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse ‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house The Night Before Christmas, or, A Visit of St. The version of the poem used here comes from a 1920 edition, also in the library’s holdings. Nicholas) as illustrated by two copies of the text in Spencer’s collections – one from 1896 and the other from the early 1900s. To help celebrate the holidays, we’re sharing Clement Clarke Moore’s poem The Night Before Christmas (originally published in 1823 as A Visit from St.